Clomid. What do I need to know?

I'm due to start my first cycle of clomid and was just wondering if there is anything I need to know!? I walked out of the consultant's office a few weeks ago with a prescription, basic info sheet, instructions for follow up blood tests and not a lot else. I didn't ask too many questions at the time because it threw me to be told a minute before hand that I wasn't ovulating (or at least, not on the month tested).

So, I thought this was the best place to ask! Should I use an opk (never have before)? Likely side effects? Dtd every other day, more often? Anything else I should know?

A brief history: - We have a six year old, conceived first cycle, cooked and delivered without incident.- In the last 4 years- 3 mmcs, the third was tested and found to have a genetic problem but after testing DH and I it was put down to a random mutation. Mmcs otherwise remain unexplained. - Been ttc for 2 years now without success. Had a few long cycles so referred for a scan (normal), and blood tests. Bloods showed no ovulation, pcos and early menopause ruled out. Consultant said they don't know when or why the ov problems started, and it doesn't really matter. I assume that means that it's got nothing to do with the previous mmcs(?) but I'll ask at my next appt.

I would opk. If anything, it will hel you figure out when to get the blood test as it’s meant to be 7 days after ovulation.

I just had my first clomid cycle and it made me ovulate much earlier than ‘normal’. I didn’t get pregnant this cycle (13 dpo and negative frer) and have loads of pms symptoms, which I only rarely get.

Clomid made me have some hot flushes and I was advised to take it at night as the worst of the symptoms hit sooner after taking it.

I completely understand the difficulty in processing he info they give you at these appointments. You try to anticipate everything in order to try and digest how it will feel. But even with what you might anticipate, hearing bad news is always terrible. I honestly have no idea what they’ll say at my next appointment in December...

I’m very sorry for your losses, that must also be impossible to process and grieve.

Thanks physics. I've had so much else going on that the appt kind of crept up on me. I was surprised about the ovulation thing, it hadn't actually occurred to me I'd be told anything other than 'it's unexplained' again.

I'll opk this time. I resisted doing so previously because I didn't want to allow myself to get neurotic about ttc and because I didn't see the point... Well, I wish I had as maybe I would have realised what was (or wasn't!) going on earlier. Can't win!